Top 20 Departing #8: Lateef McMullan

I am counting down the top 20 players that are departing the Big Sky via graduation, transfer, or any other way.

Quietly, Lateef McMullan for Portland State was one of the most improved players in the Big Sky last season, turning in a solid senior season for the Vikings. He improved his numbers all across the board from his junior to his senior seasons, and leaves as one of the top point guards in the conference.

As a junior, he shot 40% on twos, 31% on threes, and had a higher TO rate (21.3) than Assist Rate (16.3). As a senior, those numbers improved to 44.7% from twos, 35.3% from threes, and his Assist Rate (21.6) was higher than the TO Rate (15.4). PSU needed him to step up after losing some key guys to graduation, and McMullan responded by improving in just about every key area of his game.

McMullan led the Big Sky with a 2.4 : 1 A:TO ratio, one of the most important stats for a PG. He was seventh in the conference in assists, but did an excellent job of taking care of the basketball. He was also 10th in minutes played, which was big for a Vikings team that didn't have a lot of experienced depth on the perimeter.

Overall, Portland State's season was about a worst-case scenario, as they finished 8-20, including 5-15 in the Big Sky. But that wasn't the fault of McMullan, who kept the offense among the best in the Big Sky. They will struggle to replace all of the things that he did to make the offense go.

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The Big Sky's Most Under Appreciated Players

 

I thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the guys that don't seem to get a lot of publicity around the Big Sky (or maybe it's just that I don't talk about them enough). Sometimes role players who don't get their due, or starters who are overlooked because of other guys on the team. Anyway, a quick look at six guys who match that description for me.

- Jordan Richardson (Weber State) - After the departure of Damian Lillard to the NBA, much of the Weber State PG talk was about Gelaun Wheelwright, the talented sophomore. But quietly, Richardson has been excellent. He is making 49% of his threes, and leads the conference in assist to turnover ratio. Not bad.

- Jayson Cheesman (Southern Utah) - He has been a bad offensive player, shooting just 39% despite taking most of his shots near the rim. But he has excelled defensively and rebounding the basketball. He is fourth in the conference in defensive rebounding percentage, and first in block percentage (as well as top 25 in the country in that stat). He has had a nice debut season for Nick Robinson.

- Jordan Gregory (Montana) - He started at the beginning of the year, and now is a valuable bench player for the Grizzlies. He is showing signs of being a really good offensive player, knocking down outside shots and showing good strength with his ability to drive the basketball. He has work to go as a distributor, but he should slide into the starting spot next year and be a really good player.

- Lateef McMullan (Portland State) - Last season he was a bit of a chucker offensively, making just 31% from down. His TO rate was higher than his assist rate, and he was just an overall inefficient player. This year, he has been huge for the Vikings and showed vast improvement. He is up to 40% on threes, much better inside the arc, and his assist/turnover ratio is a lot better. If he keeps it up, it's not a stretch that he could get all-conference mentions.

- Max Jacobsen (Northern Arizona) - NAU is thin upfront, but Jacobsen has been a very pleasant surprise. He is scoring well in the post, and making over 60% of his shots. He is not a great rebounder, but has been respectable, especially on the offensive glass. One shudders to think of the NAU offensive post game without him this year.

- Tomas Sanchez (Idaho State) - Sanchez has become ISU's best player, with a ton of versatility and ability to help the team in a multitude of ways. He is the team's best outside shooter, leads the team in assists and steals, and is second on the team in rebounding. He hit the game-winner last week against Sacramento State. He is a ton of fun to watch.

Anyone else you think deserves more due?

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Portland State Falls to Pac-12 Team

It was a rare case of a Pac-12 team visiting the home gym of a Big Sky team, and for a while it looked like Portland State might pull off the upset. They jumped out to an early lead over Oregon State, leading 22-13 after 11 minutes, as they were forcing turnovers and taking care of the ball.

However, it was then that the Beavers put on a 1-3-1 trap and did some other things to put pressure on the Vikings, which allowed them back in the game. Eventually, it was Oregon State winning 79-74.

"Everything went the way we wanted it to go the first 10 or 12 minutes," said Viking Coach Tyler Geving but acknowledged his team's downfall. "You can't simulate their length and quickness (in the 1-3-1 zone). We got in trouble against it even though we worked on it (in preparation). When (Moreland) is at the top of that thing it is hard to go from one side to the other and attack gaps. All of a sudden they are trapping you with two big, athletic guys."

Portland State did some things really well. They shot 56% from the floor, with guys like Renado Parker (16), Lateef McMullan (16), and Aaron Moore (14) providing efficient scoring threats. They rebounded well, staying even with the Beavers in that category. They forced 18 turnovers.

However, they also turned it over 19 times, including 4 from PG McMullan.They made just 2/11 from downtown, and struggled to get to the free throw line (just 4/7 on the night). When you aren't hitting from outside or getting easy points at the line, that puts a lot of pressure on the offense to keep hitting their shots. Even though they did, they couldn't overcome the -14 advantage that OSU had at the line.

The Vikings fall to 1-5 on the season with the loss.

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Portland State Holds Off Concordia 96-93 in Exhibition

Portland State took on Concordia in their exhibition, and it probably was not quite as smooth as Coach Tyler Geving was hoping for. PSU needed a basket in the final minute (and a final defensive stop) to hold off Concordia, winning 96-93.

 Coach Geving has said this preseason that he expects the Vikings defense to be improved this year, but giving up 93 points in an exhibition is not a promising start. Ultimately, the exhibition doesn't matter, and perhaps it will not be a harbinger, but certainly they were hoping for a better showing.

Offensively, newcomer Dre Winston was the star, scoring 25 points on 10/18 shooting. Renado Parker had 18 points, and Lateef McMullan chipped in 17 as well.

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Semifinals Are Set as Portland State Rolls to Victory

I knew Montana State was going to have trouble scoring enough to keep up with Portland State. I also knew that the teams were coming in with opposite momentum. However, I didn't expect PSU to dominate the game like they did on Saturday night, beating the Bobcats 75-53 in the Big Sky quarterfinals.

It was a familiar script for Portland State. Excellent production from their stars, Chehales Tapscott (20 points, 12 rebounds) and Charles Odum (16 points, seven rebounds); and solid efforts from a couple of role players, Lateef McMullan (14 points, four assists, and Renado Parker (13 points, nine rebounds off the bench). More or less, this is what they have done all season long.

Montana State came out of the gate playing pretty well because of their defense. They ran multiple zone looks, and it confused the Vikings early. PSU turned the ball over often early on, and MSU was able to get some easy baskets. That was big for them, and it was an eight point deficit at the break, as the Viks were unable to create a ton of separation in the first half.

However, PSU began to figure out the zone in the second half, and Montana State simply didn't have the weapons to respond. They needed a big day from Shawn Reid, but he was held to four points on 2/10 shooting. Simply put, the Bobcats were unable to consistently get good looks from their half-court offense. They weren't hitting anything from the outside (3/16 threes), and they weren't able to aggressively attack the rim (11 free throws). They simply didn't have the personnel to score effectively or consistently in the half court offense, and once they stopped forcing turnovers, PSU ran away from them.

It ends a disappointing season for Montana State. After a 6-2 start to the Big Sky season, their world ends with a whimper. Montana State fans have seen this movie before, and I am not sure how much longer they will tolerate it. Obviously we will look at everything more in depth in the offseason, but safe to say Brad Huse probably doesn't head into next season feeling too comfortable about job security.

For Portland State, the dream lives on. They get Weber State in a neutral court game, and if they can find a way to slow down Damian Lillard (who has torched them this season), they will have a chance. They have the offensive talent, it is all about digging in defensively. They will meet on 5:30pm Tuesday night, in what should be an outstanding game.

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Montana State @ Portland State Quarterfinal Preview and Prediction

The Big Sky Tournament is finally upon us! On Saturday, there will be two quarterfinal games being played. In the three vs six matchup, we will see Montana State travel to take on Portland State. Let's break it down and offer up a prediction.

PREVIOUS MATCHUPS
You wouldn't guess this, but it has been Montana State that has swept the season series. They beat Portland State 86-73 in late December, and then 70-65 in late January.

BACKCOURT
Portland State is led by all-conference player Charles Odum, who is second in the conference in scoring. He is an excellent offensive player, and he shoots 62% from inside the arc, an astounding number for a 6'0'' guard. He is a master at getting in the lane and to the line, where he has shot more than seven FTs per game (making 83% of them). He is flanked by Lateef McMullan, who struggled early in the year but has had some nice moments. They need more consistent play from him, but he is capable of producing. Michael Harthun is in the wing spot, and he has been a quietly efficient player. He shoots 43% from downtown, and doesn't take much off the table.

Montana State has been hurt by attrition. Jamie Stewart was academically ineligible, and of course Xavier Blount got injured in an off-court incident. That has stretched their depth. Rod Singleton is their (much-maligned, by fans) senior leader and PG, but he turns it over more than he gets assists. Shawn Reid has stepped into the lineup in Blount's absense and been probably their best player over the last month. He is a guy they look to as their go-to scorer. Christian Moon is a nice outside shooter, but he has been slumping a bit. If he starts to hit some shots, they will have a chance.

EDGE: I give the edge to Portland State simply because they have Charles Odum. He is a difference-maker.

FRONTCOURT
MSU usually starts Mohammed Fall and Tre Johnson in the post, two guys that have different skill sets. Fall is an athletic guy, solid defender and rebounder, and a guy that cleans up on the offensive glass with putbacks. He is one of the best shot blockers in the conference, and a guy that can cause teams problems down low. Tre Johnson is more offensive minded, and is a little bit better at creating shots.

For PSU, they are led by Chehales Tapscott, another first teamer and probably the best frontcourt player in the Big Sky. He does it all for the Viks. He is a solid scorer, the best rebounder in the Big Sky, one of the best shot blockers, and also gets his fair share of steals. He is a fun guy to watch, and the conference will miss him. He is joined in the frontcourt by Nate Lozeau, a guy that started out the year very strong, but has had less of impact as the season has gone on. Still, he is a big man that rebounds and shoots a very nice percentage.

EDGE: I give Portland State a slight edge in this one, because Tapscott is just that good.

BENCH
Portland State has the best bench player in the game and one of the best in the conference in Renado Parker, an adept scorer and rebounder. He has a chance to be a 15/8 player next year and forms a formidable offensive duo with Tapscott. Gary Winston has been a nice player in the backcourt for them, showing a nice outside touch. He is a likely starter next year and can be a solid bench player for them.

Montana State, as we've said, struggles with depth because of their personnel losses. Mike Dison is their lone backcourt sub that gets a lot of time, but he struggles to make an impact as a freshman. In the frontcourt, Jeff Budinich is a nice player. He has a sneaky solid outside shot, and his high release means he can get shots off almost whenever he wants. Jourdain Allou is a solid, athletic big that is a good offensive rebounder and efficient scorer.

EDGE: This one is too close to call, so I will say even. Each team has one or two guys that can make plays off the bench, but they are not very deep. The starters will decide this game.

WHO WINS
These are two teams trending in opposite directions. The Vikings have won six straight conference games, while the Bobcats have won once in their last nine games. As I have been saying (including on a podcast with Gidal), MSU relies heavily on Shawn Reid and Christian Moon for their scoring, but they are not necessarily ready for those roles.

Portland State, meanwhile, is well defined in that they have their two stars (Odum and Tapscott), and then everyone else falls in after that. They will be the two best players on the court, and combined with the fact that this game is in Portland, I like the Vikings to win this game.

PORTLAND STATE 80, MONTANA STATE 70

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Charles Odum The Hero As Portland State Beats Eastern Washington

I thought that the game between Portland State and Eastern Washington would be the best game of Saturday night, and it proved me right. In a game that was tight throughout, Portland State won 78-76 in overtime.

Near the end of regulation, Portland State had the ball, trailing by three (in part thanks to a missed free throw by EWU). They found guard Lateef McMullan, who nailed a three from the corner and got fouled (but missed the free throw, robbing the Big Sky of potentially have two game-winning four point plays within one week). On the ensuing possession, Tremayne Johnson drove to the hoop, but had his shot blocked by Chehales Tapscott, sending the game to extra minutes.

In overtime, the drama continued. Late in the game, it was Eastern Washington trailing by three, taking the ball out from under their basket with about 35 seconds left. EWU ran a nice play to get Collin Chiverton free, and he banked in a three from the wing with 30 seconds to play. Portland State did not call timeout, and they simply ran the clock down, and ran a four-low isolation play for Charles Odum, who got into the lane and hit a 12 footer with 2 seconds left. The Eagles got a desperation attempt up, but Odum's shot was the game-winner.

Odum finished with 20 points, but he was just one hero among a few for the Vikings. Chehales Tapscott had 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks, and made tons of big plays. Lateef McMullan hit the big three at the end of regulation, and finished with 18 points on the game. His emergence becoming a reliable offensive threat has made the team that much more dangerous.

For Eastern Washington, it's two straight painful losses. Last week they were on the wrong end of a thriller against Northern Colorado, and this one has to sting even more since it was at home. Once again, their propensity to commit tons of fouls was their undoing, as three guys fouled out and PSU shot 40+ free throws. I saw a couple EWU fans (though it should be noted I have seen others that don't agree with this) blaming the refs and thinking that EWU is getting the short end, but I don't see that. There was ticky tack calls on both teams, but the bottom line is that every game EWU is having these foul problems. They foul more than anyone in America, and it seems to happen to them every game.

At some point you have to stop looking at the refs and start looking in the mirror.

Suddenly, EWU is sitting at 3-4 in the Big Sky with Montana and Montana State coming to town. They desperately need some wins, especially with Idaho State playing better and better. For Portland State, they are 4-3 and host Montana State on Thursday. With a win, they will be tied for third in the conference.

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Portland State Evens Big Sky Record

After Idaho State's thrilling comeback over Sacramento State on Saturday, they had a lot of confidence.They started out this game playing well, jumping out to a 9-2 lead, and it looked like they may have found some magic. However, Portland State regained their composure, kept it close for a while, and then made a big second half run, eventually winning 70-62.

The star for the Vikings was guard Charles Odum, who finished with a career-high 29 points. As has been the case most of the season, it was an efficient scoring output, as he was 10/18 from the field (including 3/5 from downtown) and 6/7 from the stripe. Off the heels of being named Big Sky Player of the Week, he had an impressive outing.

Chehales Tapscott also filled the stat sheet for the Vikings as usual. He had an efficient 15 points, six rebounds, five steals, and four blocks. There is no doubt that he is one of the more versatile guys in the nation. Lateef McMullan and Renado Parker also contributed with 10 points each in the win.

For Idaho State, they didn't play too poorly, they just didn't have the firepower. Chase Grabau continued his excellent senior season with 18 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, and Kenny McGowen also chipped in 20. However, they just didn't have the talent to keep pace with the Vikings on their home court.

Portland State moves to 9-9 on the year, 3-3 in the Big Sky, while Idaho State drops to 4-14 and 2-4 in the Big Sky. PSU will take on Eastern Washington on Saturday in what should be a fantastic matchup, as both teams currently sit tied for fifth in the Big Sky.

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Portland State Tops Northern Colorado

In a game between two of the best offenses in the Big Sky, Portland State was able to come to Greeley and get a huge road win over Northern Colorado, beating the Bears 86-75. The Vikings jumped out to a 49-36 halftime lead and never let go in the second half, improving to 2-3 in the Big Sky.

Interestingly, the Vikings have relied on getting inside all year, but they won this game with their outside shooting.

Portland State entered the game as the best shooting team in the Big Sky Conference at .480 from the field, but the worst three-point shooting team in the Big Sky at .292. The most threes the Vikings had made in any game all season was seven. But they reached that mark within the first 15 minutes and made 13 for the night. PSU shot .619 from distance and .617 overall.

They got a great effort from the guards tonight, as all of them were rolling. Charles Odum had 22 points (7/9 shooting, 2/4 3PT), Lateef McMullan had the best game of his Division I career with 20 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Michael Harthun threw in 18 points, and Gary Winston even threw in 11 points (and 3 threes) off the bench. It was a group effort, and the potent offense shows the rest of the Big Sky that they are still capable of beating anyone.

Northern Colorado was simply above average offensively, which unfortunately for them was not enough to get it done. They had great balance, as both Mike Proctor and Connor Osborne led the way with 16 points. Surprising that UNC was able to control the inside. Elliott Lloyd (13) and Tevin Svihovec (11) were also in double figures for the Bears.

With the win, PSU has some momentum, and are showing that they might be able to fulfill some of that preseason promise. UNC lost, but they can't be too discouraged after this one (except maybe with their defensive effort). They ran into a team that made 13/21 from downtown even though they aren't much of an outside shooting team. They should be okay as well.

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Montana Holds Court Over Portland State

In the other Big Sky conference game of the day, the road team got off to a great start to secure the victory. Not in this one. Here it was Montana that jumped out to an early 10 point lead, and the game was never really in doubt after that.

Montana shot 58% in the first half (including 7/9 from beyond the arc), which enabled them to get a 19 point lead going into the break. Portland State had a couple solid runs in the second half to cut the deficit down a bit, but they never really made it too interesting.

Kareem Jamar led the team with 17 points, also contributing 4 rebounds and 4 assists. He had a couple of great looks that led the easy baskets for the Griz, and he is really growing to be a great playmaker for them. The announcers of the game were heaping a lot of praise on Jamar near the end of the game, and it was hard to argue with anything. He is very talented offensively, and very advanced for being a sophomore.

Will Cherry also played well, with 15 points, including knocking down some outside shots, which is huge for him. He also had the play of the day... on a fast break, he threw up a beautiful alley oop that was completed by Art Steward (who also had 15) for an athletic finish (highlights can be found here). Cherry had a cramp later in the game, but should be fine for Friday. Cherry opposing Lateef McMullan (0/7, 0 points) was a huge mismatch in this game.

Derek Selvig and Eric Hutchison did not contribute a bunch offensively, but they were very sound defensively against a strong offensive frontcourt of PSU. In particular they played outstanding defense against Nate Lozeau.

It will not be a game Lozeau will want to remember. Coming into the day he was shooting 64%, but he was just 1/8 from the floor for 4 points and 3 rebounds, while also battling foul trouble. Chehales Tapscott didn't do much better offensively with 7 points, but he did have 12 rebounds and is just very active on the glass. Renado Parker had another great effort (16 points, 8 rebounds), and is one heck of a player down low, but it was not enough.

The bright spot for PSU was Charles Odum, who had a very efficient 27 points, taking only 13 shots. He got to the line well, and got into the lane for some easy shots. He is really an excellent player, though some of the points did come in garbage time.

Montana came out firing and played great, setting up an early season game against Eastern Washington to determine who will be #2 in the perception of those following the league. Meanwhile, PSU falls to 0-7 on the road this year, and has to turn around in 2 days to take on Montana State. It is a win they could definitely use.

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Portland State Wins A Thriller Over Seattle

Without about a 1:30 to play, Seattle was up over Portland State 65-58 and looked like they would score a nice road victory. However, the Vikings had something to say about that.

The Vikings scored the last 8 points of the game to win 66-65, improving their record to 1-1 and getting a nice regional victory. They did not shoot the ball particularly well, but they stayed in the game with their defense (something they haven't been able to say a lot over the past couple seasons), and made enough plays at the end of the game.

Two plays stick out most. First, with the Vikings down 65-64, Seattle had the ball with 45 seconds left. Charles Odum, who the led the team in scoring with 17 points, made a great defensive play to knock the ball out of bounds. With their next possession, Portland State got the ball to their best player Chehales Tapscott, who went to work in the post. He made a nice move inside, and simply muscled the ball in with a bit of an acrobatic shot to put the Vikings ahead. Seattle got a desperation three at the buzzer, but it hit the rim and fell off, securing the comeback win.

Tapscott did not have a great game, as he finished just 4/12 (and missed a key FT down the stretch), but he made the big play when it mattered. The Vikings still have some issues... including the poor play of JUCO PG Lateef McMullan (5 points, 3 assists, 7 turnovers), and their lack of depth, but for one night they can go to bed happy after a nice comeback win at home.

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A Look at Portland State

Portland State's website had a great preview article, so let's take a look at it. If you are interested in learning about the Vikings I encourage you to read it all, it is nice and thorough.

Odum, a 6-foot guard, averaged a team-high 14.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting .524 from the field. Those numbers improved to 15.3, 3.7, 2.9 and .565 in league games, earning him second team All-Big Sky Conference.

Odum is the star of the backcourt, and he could be a first team Conference player this season. He was a very efficient scorer and solid distributor in his first year for the Vikings. If he can improve his ballhandling and outside shoot a bit, we will be talking about him with Damian Lillard and Will Cherry as the top guards in the Big Sky.

Tapscott is a good shooter inside and out and also gets to the free throw line with regularity.

“Chehales has a chance to be All-Conference this year. We went 1-5 without him (while injured), so you could make a case that he was our best player last season,” said Geving.

I have written quite a bit about Chehales Tapscott on this site, and think he could be the best post man in the Conference, even if he is not really a true post (at 6'5''). He is the leading rebounder in the Conference, and I think he will be first-team Big Sky. Look for him to become a household name, as he can score in a variety of ways.

Harthun is a 6-3 transfer from Washington State who will ably step into a perimeter shooter role. Although he never got his career going at WSU, Harthun is a proven scorer and winner. As a senior at South Medford (OR) High School, he averaged 21.0 points and six assists per game. He was a three-time All-Conference and All-State performer, scoring 1,949 points as a four-year starter, which ranks second in school history behind former teammate Kyle Singler, who is now in the NBA. Harthun will be particularly valuable due to the graduation of shooters Melvin Jones and Phil Nelson.

Michael Harthun has a lot of talent but didn't produce much in his last stop. He's got the ability to be a difference maker for the Vikings if he used the redshirt year to his advantage. His development will be a key factor for them.

The third returning redshirt is 6-10 center Brandon Cataldo. After missing his senior season of high school with a broken leg, Cataldo needed a year to recover and improve his conditioning. However, in that redshirt year he proved to be a very skilled big man, with good footwork, good hands, passing and shooting ability. If he continues to progress and improve his conditioning, Cataldo will form an excellent big-man tandem with Lozeau.

I think Cataldo could be a big-time talent for Portland State, and a guy not many fans knowing going into the season. He is very skilled and polished as the article says, and if he can stay in shape and stay healthy he could be huge for the Vikings. Watch for Cataldo this year.

First and foremost, Geving cited the need for a pure point guard, and believes he got his man with junior transfer Lateef McMullan. “I feel really good about the point guard spot. We got a real competitor. A tough kid who is a winner. He's also played Division I basketball before.

I have been hearing lots of raving about McMullan, who averaged about 16 PPG and 4 APG last season. He also has Divison I experience, as he played his freshman year at UC Riverside.

There is a lot more good info on incoming recruits in the article, and more on all of the players, including a lot of good quotes from Coach Tyler Geving. I have picked them third in the Big Sky this year, because I think the nucleus of Odum and Tapscott will be complemented well by guys like Harthun, Cataldo, and McMullan. If nothing else, Portland State should be fun to watch, because they will probably again lead the Big Sky in scoring.

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Lateef McMullan (Portland State Recruit)

If Portland State really is going to have any chance to win the Big Sky, they are going to need Lateef McMullan to come in and be a solid contributor right away.

McMullan is a JUCO PG, coming to the Vikings from Tulsa, OK, with stops at two different colleges along the ay (most recently Citrus Junior College in CA, and his freshman year at UC Riverside). Last season he averaged 16.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 4.2 APG.

"Lateef is extremely quick with the basketball and can get from free throw line to free throw line in a hurry," said Geving. "That's what we need with the style we like to play. He makes good decisions, can break people down off the dribble, then score or make plays for his teammates. Lateef has a great understanding of the game and I expect big things from him."

He also brings an outside shooting element to the Vikings, as he made 94 3-pointers last year after shooting 41% his freshman year at UC Riverside. His quickness with the ball and ability to find the open man will fit perfectly in Tyler Geving's system, as the Vikings were the fastest team in the Big Sky last season.

Coming out of high school, this is what Scout had to say about him:

Talented guard who has a floater, speed and a tough mentality. At his size he's got to be a knock-down shooter. Likes to score and has a few different shots in his bag of tricks.

Lateef will be a lot of fun to watch next season, that we know. His speed in getting up and down the court will make him a crowd pleaser. If he can properly distribute the ball to the talented guys the Vikings have, as well as knock down some open shots, Portland State could become very dangerous in the Big Sky.

Could Portland State Win the Big Sky?

Recently we looked at who might be the third best team in the Big Sky, considering for the sake of the argument that Weber State and Montana would be 1-2. In the post, I consider Portland State perhaps the favorite to be 3rd.

But Craw's Corner has gone a step further, making a bold prediction that Portland State would win the Big Sky:

The Portland State Vikings will win the Big Sky championship this year in men's basketball. Yes those Vikings who play in a clean, sparkling, but awfully small arena, the Stott Center, which is seldom filled, but as noted, has the best band of any school in the country, with the band having an average of what I would guess 50 years old.

While Portland State is long on talent, I personally don't see them winning the Big Sky, and here is why:

- Coach Tyler Geving may someday be a very good coach, but he is not there yet. He is only 38, and after two seasons (albeit marred by some messes left by Ken Bone), there has been one thing about his resume that has stood out - PSU has been terrible defensively. Two years ago they had an AdjD of 112.4 (meaning opponents scored 112.4 points per 100 possessions against the Vikings), which was 338th in the country. Last year, they were down to 113.8, which ranked 334th in the NCAA. I don't care what league you are in, that will not get it done. They need to emphasize defense, and Geving hasn't shown yet that he can do that.

- They don't have a ton of experienced depth. Charles Odum and Chehales Tapscott are their senior leaders. Michael Harthun and Brandon Cataldo are talented but it's tough to say how good they will be. Lateef McMullan looks like he will be a solid contributor coming in as a JUCO. But what will their depth look like? I'm not sure.

- I think Weber State is actually going to be very good this year. Craw says it's "easy to win the Big Sky," but I don't think it will be easy at all to beat Weber State this year. They will be deep at all positions, they have great shooters, and they have an excellent coach in Randy Rahe. To top it off, you know they will be hungry after their preseason top ranking in the Big Sky was derailed by the injury to Damian Lillard. He will be back, and they will be good.

What are all of your thoughts? Does Portland State really have a chance to win the Big Sky?